Table-feeding mechanism for slicing machines



ATTORNEYS 3 SHEETS'SHEET 2 I {II rllllilll I mm ww x fi EEDING MECHANISM FOR Sucmc MACHINES.

Dec. 19, 1922.

4 F. H. LIPPINCOTT. TABLE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SLI CING MACHINES.

3 SHEETS'SHEET 3 NQQ uwv FILED JUL" 27 I921 QR kw ATTORNEYS reamed Dec. is, 1922.-

'. nirrinoorr, or re vro'ron snrcino r.

TABLE-L neman Apniieation filed July 27' To (41 i inf/20m it, may concern i Be it known that L his -l. i Irriivi-fio'rr a citizen'oit the United States resid ng at .l"hila ;lelphia, county oi Philadelphia, State oi" Pennsylvania, have invented anew and useful Table-Feeding lviechanisin for S1icing Machines of whirh the following isa specification.

My .invention relates to a slicing; machine oi the type in which the table bed is reciprocated with respect to a rotating cutter and in which provision isinade for etl'ecting the i are of the table towards the cutter in acrdance with. the thickness slice desired.

invention- .con'iprehends a novel con ction and arrangement oftable l eediug n'iecha-nism whereby the table is advanced step by step during its reciprocation, and wherein when the table reaches the limit of its forward travel the feed nut connected with the table becomes disengaged from its 'leed screw the reengagement ofthe feed srrew with the feed nut being manually a1;- eomplished by a longitudinal movement of the feed screw. v

lit further comprehendsanovel construction of a feed nut and a novel manner of ehably connectii'ig it with the article carrying table. A

it further comprehends a novel construction and arrangement of a ratchet mecha nism \Vlllill is rendered inoperative when the feed screw is rotated in atreverse directic-r thereby enabling one to ei'lect a quick return oi the article carrying table.

it further comprehends novel mechanism for regulating the ratchet feed and thereby the thickness of the cut.

()the'r novel features of construction and advantage will hereinafter more fully appear in the detailed description of the in vention.

F or the purpose of illustrating myinvention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings a typical embodiment thereof which is at, present preferred by me, since this embodiment will be found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results. It is, however, to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can'be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organizaon which traii el the rollers a1 ADELPHIA, PENNSY'" Vania, pessrelvon. TO THE oo.,, it scares irouor DELA'WARE.

' -IJISVZ FOR SLEZGING' FIACHINES.

1921. Serial 110.42 .7361

shown and described. 7 a I ldigure i lGPiQSQHE-Sa top plan view ofpa tion of these instrumentalities as herein slicingmachine in which is employed a table feeding mechanism embodying niy inventi011. 1 Figure 2 represents a section on line 22 of Figure l. a I v Q Figure represents a sectiomon an enlarged scale, taken on the same section line as Figure 2 but showing cer ain oi the parts in diii'erent relation iron'that seen in Fig} ure 2.

Figure 4 represents in sectional elevation and in detached position, the iced nut seen in Figures 2 and a Figure 5 represents a section. on line 5v 5 of Figure l. i

Figure 6 represents a section on line of Figure 2. I

7 represents a section on line 7--T of Figure 5.

Figure represents a bottom plan view of the pawl arrangement seen in Figure 7.

,Similar numerals of reference indicate correspondingparts. s

Referring to the drawings, I 1 designates the ramework of the machine which is prov died with the guides 2 led by the bed of the bed i the framework it has ournalied therein a main driving shaft 5 to which connected a fly-wheel 6 provided witha han- I dle '7 whereby it may be manually-rotated, it being of course apparent hat theshaft '5 may bemotor driven if desired.- The shaft is provided with a-gear 8 which meshes with a gear 9 mounted on a shattlO suitably journal-led in the framework oi themachine. lhe shaft 10 has connected to-it the crank arm 11 to which is connected one end of a connectingrod 12, the other end of which is pivotally connectedat 13 to the bed 4., The

shaft, 10 is provided with agear-ld which,

meshes with a gear 15 mounted on a shaft 16 which latter is operatively connected by means of a sprocket wheel and chain arrangement 17 with the shaft of a cutter l8 suitably mounted on the framework of the machine. This cutter is in theform of a circular cutter having its cutting plane. presenting at an angleto the plane of the cut. The reciprocatory bed 4e has'slidably mountln orderto efl'ect the recip-rocations.

teed screw v21 which is provided with the cylindrical bearing portion which carries a set collar 23 in order to limit the rearward or outward movement of the feed screw,

and, at its inner end, it is provided with a reduced portion 2'1- which uLliOllllS a shoulder In proximity to this shoulder 25 is a smooth bearing portionQG, and at the opposite end of the threads 27 is a smooth bearing portion 28 which forms with the bearing portion 22 a shoulder 29'. The bearing portion 2-6 has loosely mounted on it a collar'BO. ill designates the feed nut which provided with the smooth unthreaded bore 32, and at one end with the threads 33 which open into said bore.

Thefeed nut 81 is provided with an upwardly extending lug Sal having a slot in its front wall. The teed'nut is guided in a longitudinally extending slot 556 in the upper table or wallol the bed l and extends into an aperture 37 in the bot-tom oi the article car rying table 19, and is secured in locked position in such aperture 37 by means of a lever 38 pivoted at 39 to the bottom of the article carrying table 19, one end of the lever 38 being adapted to enter the slot Z in order to effect the locking engagement between the feed nut and the article carrying table, while the opposite end of said lever 38 extends exteriorly of the article carrying table and is upwardly and laterallydeflected to form a grasping handle 40 by means of which it may be readily manipulated when desired. The feed screw 21 at its outer end is provided with the reduced neck ll on which is keyed a ratchet l2 and on which is loosely mounted a pinion 43, said pinion and ratchet being retained in proper position by means of a shoulder 4-4, and the hub of the handle is secured on the extension 41 by means of a pin 46.

The pinion l3 has mounted on it a pawl l7 which is preferably made of a piece oi spring metal which is received in the slots 48 of the pins 19 which extend outwardly from the pinion 13. The bed t in proximity to the pinion as is provided with the outwardly extending post 50 which passes beneaththe pawl 47, so that the latter overhangs such post 50, which latter serves as a pawl releasing member as will hereinafter be fully explained q 51 designates a bracket which serves as a guard to cover the pinion 43 and the ratchet 42, and this guard is secured to a fixed portion-o'f the bed by means of a fastening device 52. Thelower portionot the bracket 51 is apertured to torm bearings 53 for a rack 'bar- 54 which is freely slidable therein a-ndmeshes with the pinion 43. The rack bar prelierably has its ends of reduced diameter, as will he understood by reference to Figure 5, and one end is adapted to contact with a stop which is adjustably carried by one oi the bracke's in extending from the framework oi. the machine, The

stop 55 is in the form or a bolt in threaded engagement with a bracket 56 and secured in its adjusted position by, means of a nut 57. The brackets 56 have connected to them in any desired manner the spaced bars each or which is pro led near one lid with the rack teeth 59 with which are adapted to engage the pawl members carried by a block 60 which secured to apliuiger bl slidable through a slide (31 2, positioned between the space bars and having the orerhanging flanges 63 which ride. on the top oi said bars. '1 he slide recessed, as at (3 2, in order to receive a spring 65, one end oil which abuts against the lower wall of the recess til, while its opposite end abuts against ,a shoulder on the plunger 61, so that the stop member formed by this construction will be retained in the position to which it is adjusted.

vThe slide (52, see Figure l, is provided with a pointer ljowliich travels over a graduated plate at, the graduationsbeing indicative of the thickness of a slice which is to be out. The plate ('37 is preferably in the term of an angle secured to the outer bar 58 in any desired manner, see Figure 2.

The operation of my novel table feeding mechanism will now be readily apparent to those slri led in this art, and is as tollows The meat is clamped on the article carrying table 19 by means of the clamping mechanism 20 which may be oi any desired or conventional type. 'lhe operator actuates the handle ll in a let-thand direction to feed the table into proximity to the cutter 18. T he operator their rotates the main driving shaft 5 by means of the handle 7, and, due to the operative connection between the driving shaft 5 and the bed or rcciprocatory carriage, such carriage is reciprocated during the rotation ot the cutter 18, together -with the article carrying table 19 which is supported on such carriage. .7

As the reciprocatory carriage 4: reaches the end portion oi the traveler its rearward movement, the rack 541 contacts with the slide 62 oil. the adjustable stop mechanism; and, as the carriage -11: continues to move rearwardly,v the pinion 43:3 will be partially rotated, thereby calming thepa-wl 50 to advance the ratchet 1-2 and thereby efiect a partial rotation of the teed screw 21 to which the ratchet 12 is keyed. This rotation of the "feed screw effects the advancement of the feed nut 31 and thereby ot the article carrying table 19 to which. it is connected. On the forward movement o'tthe reciprocatory carriage 1 the rack: will engage the adjustable stop 55 and be returned to its initial or starting position. It will thusbe understood that during the reciprocat'ions of the carriage 4; the article carrying table 19 is advanced step by step towards the cutter As soon as the article carrying table reaches the limit of its forward travel the feed nut 31 feeds oil the threads 2'7 and the feed screw 21 becomes disengaged from such threads, so that the rotation of the feed screw is ineffective to further advance the table 19; With the parts in this position it will be seen that it the operator rotates the handle -15 in a clockwise direction no movement will boiniparted to the article carrying table 19 unless the handle is pushed forwardly to bodily move the feed screw forwardly so that the threads 27 will engage with the threads 33 in the feed nut. W hen the feed screw 21 is moved bodily forwardly to engage the threads of the feed screw with the feed nut, then a quick return ofthe article carrying table to its initial or starting position will be effected, it being seen that the spring pawl 47 will ride up on, the stop pin 50 and become disengaged from the ratchet 42.

The article carrying table 19 can be fed rapidly in its forward direction by rotating the l1a11d'l-ei5 in a counter clockwise direction, during which movement, the pawl 4;? will ride over the teeth of the ratchet 42. The thickness of. the cut is regulated by the adjustable stop mechanism carried by the bars 58. It will be seen that when the plunger 61 is pressed downwardly thepawl carrying member will be disengaged from the teeth 59 so that'the slide 62 can be adjusted to any desired position, and when the operator releases the pressure from the plunger 61 the spring 65 will cause the plunger to move upwardly so that the slide 62 will be fixed in its adjusted position.

It will thus be apparent that the operator can. at anytime, effect the quick advance or a quick return of the article carrying table It is desirable in a machine of this character, in order to maintain it in a sanitary condition, to have the article carrying table 19 removable so that the upper table of the reciprocatory carriage can be cleaned. This can be readily accomplished in my machine by actuating the handle 4E0 of the lever 38 in order to move it out of the slot 35 in the member when it reaches the end of its forward travel, and to become operatively reengaged with said threaded member when the threaded member is bodily moved longitudinally and its direction of rotation reversed.

2. The combination with afeed screw, of a feed nut moved thereby and adapted to be automatically disconnected from said iced screw when it reaches the limit of itsforward travel, and to remain disconnected until. the 'feed screw ,is bodily advanced longitudinally and its direction oi rotation reversed.

3. In a slicing machine, a reciprocatory carriage, an article receiving table slidable on said carriage, a feed nut relatively mow able with respect to said carriage and having a slot opening through a wall thereof, means carried by said table to enter said slot and lock said table with respect to said teed nut, and means to actuate said feed nut to eiiect the desired movement of said article receiving table. 7

4-. In a-slicing machine, a reciprocatory carriage, a feed nut guided in said carriage, an article receiving table slidable on said carriage and having an aperture to receive said feed nut, said feed nut having a slot therein, and a lever carriedby said table, having one end adapted to enter said slot to lock the feed nut and table together, and having its opposite, end extending accessible I to the operator to form a grasping'handle.

In a slicing machine, a reciprocatory carriage, a table slidable on said carriage and forming a support for the article tobe sliced, a teednut guided in said carriage and operatively connected: with said table to move it, a feed screw having intermediate its ends a threaded portion co-operating with said leed nut to move it, said feed nut co-operatlng with said feed screw to become disengaged from said threaded portion when the table reaches the limit of its forward'travel and to remain disengaged from said. threaded portion when in such position on a rotation ofthe feed screw in one direction or the other, said feed screw being mounted in said arriage to have limited longitudinal movement, whereby after becoming disengaged from said threaded portion and advanced longitudinally it will become reengaged on longitudinal movement of the feed screw and carry the feed nut and table rearwardly on a reverse rotation of the feed screw, and means to effect the intermittent feed of said feed screw during the reciprocations of said carriage.

6.. In a slicing machine, a reciprocatory carriage, a feed screw mounted therein to have limited longitudinal movement, a feed nut having a bore to receive said feed screw and having a portion only of the bore threaded, a grasping handle -for actuating said feed screw, a pinion on said teed screw, an intermitten'tly actuated rack to operate said pinion, a pawl carried by said pinion, a ratchet fixed to said teed screw and with which said pawl cooperates to eilect the feed of the feed screw, and means to automatically release said pawl when said feed screw is rotated in a direction to move the feed nut rearwardly.

T. in a slicing machine, a reciprocatory carriage, a feed screw mounted therein to hare limited longitudinal movement and having a threaded portion intermediate its ends, a feed nut driven by said feed screw, a ratchet fixed to said teed screw, a pinion loose on said teed screw, a pawl carried by said pinion and co-operating with said ratchet, a stop on said carriage to render said pawl inoperative when the feed screw is rotated in a reverse direction, and said teed nut being disengaged from said thread ed portion when it reaches the limit of its forward travel and being adapted to reengage with said threaded portionon a bodily longitudinal movement of said teed screw.

8. In a slicing machine, a reciprocatory carriage, a feed screw mounted therein to have limited longitudinal movement and having a threaded portion terminating in an unthreaded portion, a feed nut engaging said threaded portion and adapted to be disconnected therefrom when it reaches the limit of its forward travel and to remain disconnected until the feed screw is moved longitudinally, a ratchet on said teed screw, a pinion loose on said feed screw, a pawl carried by said pinion to engage said ratchet, a rack toactuate said pinion, and

' stop members to efiect the operation of said rack during the reclprocation of said carriage.

'9. In a slicing machine, a reciprocatory carriage, a feed screw mounted therein to have limited longitudinal movement, a feed nut co-operating with said feed screw and adapted to be disengaged therefrom when it reaches the limit ofits forward travel and to remain disengaged until the feed screw is bodily advanced longitudinally and its direction of rotation reversed, a ratchet fixed to said teed screw, a pinion loose on said teed screw, a pawl carried by said pinion to cooperate with said ratchet, a manually ac tuated handle for said teed screw, a rack carried by said carriage and meshing with said pinion, means to intermittently actuate said rack during the reciprocations or said carriage, and meansto eii'ect the release or said pawl when said handle is actuated in a direction to efiect the rearward movement of the teed nut, whereby a quick return of the feed nut is effected.

10. in a slicing machine, a reciprocatory carriage, an article carrying table slidable on said carriage, and means to feed said table during the reciprocations or said carriage including the following instrumentalities, a feed screw, a rack and pinion'arrangement to actuate the feed screw, stationary members having teeth therein, a stop slidable on said members and in the path or said rack and including a manually releasable spring pressed member longitudinally slidable with said stop along said members and adapted to engage said teeth and retain said stop in adjusted position indicativeof the thickness of the slice which is to be cut.

11. In a slicing machine, a reciprocatory carriage, an article carrying table slidable on said carriage, and means to feed said table during the reciprocations of said carriage including the following instrumentalities, a feed screw, a rack and pinion arrangement to actuate the teed screw, a stop support, a. stop adjustably mounted to he slid along said support in the path ofthe rack and having a pointer, and a graduated plate having graduations co-operating with said pointer to indicate the thickness of the slice which is out, said stop including a spring actuated locking member carried by it and longitudinally adjustable with it along said stop support, said spring causing said stop to be interlocked with said support, said locking member being adapted to be manually actuated. i

FISHER H. LIPPINCOTT.

WVitnesses H. S. FAIRBANKS, C. D. MOVAY. 

